PRESERVATION OF WALLPAPERS AS PARTS OF INTERIORS

Methodological conclusions
use of reconstruction is justified if it helps to restore the visual
unity of a historic object.
The wallpaper from the dining room of the Puurmani manor
had survived only in fragments. Although the wallpaper covered
only the lower half of three walls, it provided enough information
to allow for the reconstruction of the fourth wall. The available
information was even enough for the re-creation of the whole
setting, but it was not carried out due to the tight budget. The
renderings provided in the thesis show the appearance of the
room if the whole reconstruction could have been carried out.
Although only a part of the whole setting was reconstructed, the
legibility of the whole decorative scheme improved considerably.
Since reconstructed areas were printed with slightly cooler
tones, they could be easily distinguished from the original.
If only a certain area of wallpaper is damaged (e.g. by
mould, dark tide-lines or extensive tears caused by loose plaster),
it is sometimes justified to remove the damaged segment
and conserve it in a workshop. Naturally, the feasibility of the
process depends on the method of mounting. The solution used
should help to preserve a majority of the original unity and thus
improve the aesthetic appearance of the whole object. It should,
however, be taken into account that the treatment carried out
on the removed segments should not alter their dimensions
and other properties (such as texture, intensity of colour and
the order of applications).
Removal of wallpaper from its original location destroys the
original mounting system and the sequence in which separate
strips and applications were mounted on the wall. Wallpapers
that are removed to be conserved and are then remounted in
their original location can be preserved either intact or in fragments.
Commonly, wallpapers that have retained their physical
and visual integrity are returned to their original location. As a
result, they continue to fulfil their decorative function and form
a unity with other decorative details.
On the other hand, removal of wallpaper allows for more
thorough conservation. The solution is justified, firstly, if the
supporting system of a wallpaper is damaged and it needs to be
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